Hammer of Love

So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smoothes with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. - Isaiah 41, 4-9
 

They were warned not is afraid of the invasion of Cyrus. The encouragement here was to make new images for the temples and thus obtain the favor of the gods whom the people trusted to rescue them from Cyrus; so they fashioned idols and set them in their places that they should not be moved (V 6,7). Read the whole story in Isaiah 41
 The various countries feared Cyrus and united against him the isles (maritime countries) and the far off parts of Egypt, Palestine, and Asia Minor saw this coming struggle and, in fear, they came together in a federation to fight Cyrus. 
They were hammering in fear against the oncoming slough of foreign countries.
Are we hammering in fear against daily pressures of life? Let Jesus hammer His anvil of love into our hearts so we can live a victorious life. It may hurt when he knocks against our hearts of bitterness, un-forgiveness and more hidden things, but will be worth it because --He Hammers in Love.

The Anvil

Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith's door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

How many anvils have you had,' said I,
to wear and batter all these hammers so?
Just one,' said he, and then with twinkling eye,
the anvil wears the hammers out, you know.

And so, I thought, the Anvil of God's Word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers gone. 
-Author unknown